


Too Tired For This

by aerobesk



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Accidental Confession, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-11
Updated: 2015-04-11
Packaged: 2018-03-22 07:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3721105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aerobesk/pseuds/aerobesk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Imagine Person A of your OTP getting so sleep-deprived that they accidentally confess their feelings to Person B before they can realize what they’re saying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too Tired For This

It had been the third day in a row that he had had to lead the knights into the courtyard to practice. The new group of trainees had arrived and he needed to show them the ropes, so Arthur had spent sixteen hours a day helping them. He hadn’t been sleeping well because of his sore muscles, and the cold fall weather wasn’t helping.

In other words, he was grumpy.

Merlin stayed close by his side, like he always did, going on and on about how well the recruits had done and how much better they were getting under Arthur’s supervision. The prince wasn’t really paying attention until Merlin tapped him on the shoulder.

“Arthur, did you hear me?”

“What?”

“I said, you’re going the wrong way. Your chambers are left.”

Arthur spun on his heel and walked down the hallway, Merlin following behind him.

“Anyway, I’ll get you your dinner and I’ll polish your armor in the morning.”

Arthur looked at him. “In the morning?”

“Yes.”

“Merlin, I asked you to do that yesterday.”

“Well, yes, but you were training in it.”

Arthur shook his head. “Did you clean my clothes for the initiation ceremony tomorrow?”

“No. Not yet, I mean.”

“Did you at least clean my room?”

Merlin looked at the ground. “No.”

“For Gods sake, Merlin.” They had arrived at Arthur’s chambers and he opened the door, raising his arms to allow his servant to take of his chest piece.

“Look, I’m getting around to it, alright?”

“You are utterly useless.”

“Thank you for the vote of confidence.”

Merlin set down the armor and started working on the prince’s chainmail.

“You know,” Arthur said, yawning. “You’re lucky I love you. Otherwise you’d being in the stocks every day.”

Merlin stopped dead, dropping the chainmail onto the table and turning around, studying the prince. “What?”

Arthur looked up at him, tilting his head slightly in confusion. “What?”

“What did you just say?”

“You’d be in the stocks.”

“No, before that.”

The prince racked his brain for what he could have said wrong. He was so tired that he couldn’t remember half of their conversation. “I’m confused.”

Merlin stared at him, nodding slowly. “Alright then. Well, I’m going to go get your dinner.” With that he scampered quickly out of the room, closing the door loudly behind him.

Arthur sat down at the table, staring at the door and thinking over the conversation. Merlin hadn’t polished his armor, readied his clothes, or cleaned his room. Arthur called him useless, and said that he would be in the stocks daily if…

His eyes widened as he made the connection right before Merlin opened the door. He stood up quickly, almost knocking his chair over and startling the poor servant so bad he almost dropped the plate.

“Your dinner,” he said quietly, setting the food down and making for the door again.

“Wait, Merlin!” Arthur said, moving around the table to intercept him before he could make it to the door.

“Yes, sire?”

“Look, about what I said…” he trailed off, uncertain of how to continue. Merlin shook his head, smiling at the prince.

“What? Something you said? I don’t remember you saying anything. Well, if that’s all sire, I’m going to head to my chambers.” He made an attempt to move around the man in front of him, but Arthur blocked his path.

“Just listen to me, alright?” Merlin made another feeble attempt and Arthur reached out, grabbing the boy’s wrist. He gripped it tightly and stared at Merlin, registering the blush on the servant’s face.

“What, Arthur?”

“We can just forget it, if you want.”

Merlin kept his eyes on the floor, feebly pulling at the grip Arthur had on his wrist. They waited in silence for a moment before Merlin spoke.

“Did you mean it?” he asked quietly, causing a blush to spread across Arthur’s face. He released Merlin’s wrist, scratching his head awkwardly.

“Well, I mean… That depends.”

“No, it doesn’t. It doesn’t depend on anything. Either you meant it or you didn’t.” Merlin was speaking fast, obviously flustered, and Arthur sighed before nodding.

Merlin looked at him for a moment before he broke into a small smile and leaned forward, gently placing his lips on Arthur’s. The color in the prince’s face flared up again and the servant laughed as he pulled away and made for the door.

“I guess I’ll be going then.”

Arthur was upon him in a second, spinning the boy around and pushing him up against the door before smiling at him.

“I don’t think so.”

 

 


End file.
